


A Good Time To Mourn

by ChaosSmith



Category: Kung Fu Panda (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Angst, Angst and Humor, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Grief/Mourning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:14:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28211460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChaosSmith/pseuds/ChaosSmith
Summary: Master Croc and Storming Ox not bringing up the elephant in the cell.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 11





	A Good Time To Mourn

“And… there he goes.” Master Croc mumbled as his arms slacked through the prison bars.  
Barely even moments after his friends told him to stay behind, Po was already out the doors of Gongman prison to go after Lord Shen.  
While Tigress instructed that Master Ox and Croc would _**“Keep him far from danger”**_ , did it never occur to her how? They weren't entirely sure what Tigress would have expected the two of them to do either way; _chase after him?_ They had already made it quite clear they weren’t leaving their cell, so whatever “harsh reprimand” they’d get out of it later, _will_ be greatly ignored. 

“The kid’s gonna get himself killed” Master Ox grumbled, his back against the stone wall and arms crossed. 

“Well,” Croc began quietly “I suppose it’s still better than what _we’re_ doing.” 

“And what’s _that supposed_ to mean?”

Croc, hearing the snap in Ox’s voice, pulled his arms back in and turned to carefully face the other.

“Nothing, I guess.” He sighed, shoulders slouching

Ox narrowed his eyes and grunted before returning to doing nothing.  
Croc lightly tapped his heel on the ground, obviously not knowing what to do with himself. Simply waiting for… okay, he wasn’t entirely certain what they were waiting for exactly.  
_Help?_ They technically got it, but promptly _refused_ it so that option was out.  
Croc shuddered at the idea of the next person to come through those doors not being the Five and Po, but instead Lord Shen himself to do whatever it was he had planned for them. Death most likely.  
He bit his lip as he recollected the events that took place after Rhino was…  
Croc quickly shook his head. No. He didn’t want to think about that.  
He did recall Shen’s mocking words to him and Ox after _it _happened.__

____

_**“And let that be a lesson to the both of you,”**_ Lord Shen cooed in such a smooth, yet patronizing tone _**“the only hero in this town, is a dead one.”**_

____

Croc growled. Going after Shen was suicide, but at the very least he hoped _one of the five_ would get a good few hits in. Lord knows him and Ox were denied that.  
He sighed and began to pace around the small cell. Croc looked over to his friend, still brooding in the corner. 

____

“You know,” Croc smiled “too bad they didn’t give us _mahjong tiles_. I mean, I get it’s a prison but-!” 

____

He was hoping to get some kind of reaction out of Ox other than dreadful silence, but unfortunately got more silence in return.  
Croc scratched the back of his head. 

____

“Uh, yeah I guess that game is only fun with four people…” Croc awkwardly laughed “What about _Go_ then?”

____

Ox glared at him in a way Croc could almost _feel_ the imaginary hole burning through his head. 

____

“Never mind.” Croc whispered as he watched Ox turn away once more. 

____

Croc slowly grinded his teeth, furrowing his brow at Ox. 

____

“I mean,” he said in a low voice “Rhino never liked that game anyways--” 

____

Croc was suddenly grabbed by the face by Ox and slammed against the stone wall. He could feel himself being raised as well, as the tips of his feet were now _barely_ grazing the floor. Croc stared back at the larger man holding him up against the wall with a single arm, rage in his eyes. 

____

_“Is this funny to you??”_ Ox snapped, fury in his voice

____

“Uh…! Not really I guess!” Croc managed to say, hoping the less serious response would help de-escalate the tension. It didn’t. 

____

“Do you not realize the situation we’re in right now?!” 

____

“ _Nooo,_ I hadn’t noticed!” Croc snapped back sarcastically “Oh my goodness, are we in a _prison cell??_ How did we get here-?” 

____

Croc was pulled forward, and slammed back into the wall once more, nearly getting a pained shout out of him. 

____

_**“People are going to die! Don’t you understand?! People are going to die because of Shen! Because of the weapon! Because of us...!”**_ Ox quickly stopped himself, and huffed angrily before releasing the other man.  
Croc rubbed his face, trying to massage out the pain of Ox’s grip.

____

“I’m sorry,” Croc said “I should have--”

____

_“Forget it.”_ Ox hissed, turning back to return to his corner. 

____

He was done humoring Croc for the rest of the night; if he didn’t want to take this seriously, then he refused to make that his own problem. 

____

“I should have…” Croc continued to mumble _“should have…”_

____

He tried to ignore him  
_“I… I’m so sorry, I s-should’ve… I…”_

____

Ox rolled his eyes and groaned

____

“I told you to forget it-!” Ox shouted as he turned back around sharply 

____

He immediately went silent as he saw the other practically crumbling to his knees, Croc’s hands were covering his own mouth, as if trying to stifle his saddened noises. 

____

_“... I’m so sorry. I’m sorry… I should have done…. I sh… I should’ve… and I... d-didn’t.”_ Croc’s words were coming out jumbled and horribly stuttered as he slowly fell closer and closer to the floor. 

____

“H… Hey! _Hey! Croc!”_ Ox broke himself out of his paralyzed confusion and rushed over to his friend. 

____

“C-come on, snap out of it!” Ox shouted as he kneeled down and placed his hands on Croc’s trembling shoulders, shaking him just a bit. 

____

Ox began to panic as tears started to run down his friend’s wide-eyed face.

____

“Please! Croc!” Ox pleaded desperately _“Tell me what's wrong!”_

____

_**“I should have done something for him!”**_ Croc blurted out 

____

Ox blinked, side eying the room before taking a deep breath and sighing. 

____

“Croc, there’s not much you could’ve done to stop Po, so don’t-” 

____

_“I’m not talking about him…!”_ Croc cried as he put a painfully twisted grip into his own hair. 

____

Ox’s blood went cold.

____

“No, no Croc don’t you dare blame yourself-!” Ox fidgeted as he thought over his words “There wasn’t anything you, or _I_ , could’ve done for Rhino.” 

____

_**“Yes, we could have!”**_ Croc shouted _“We weren’t **that** hurt from Shen, I could have helped him-!”_  
Croc could feel his hairs being ripped out of his head from his own fists.

____

“But instead I… _**I**_ did nothing because I thought he could handle it! _**You**_ thought he could handle it! Even _**he**_ thought he could handle it!” 

____

His breathing was becoming dangerously unsteady as he tried to stitch his pained words together. 

____

_“And now he’s… He’s…!”_

____

Croc didn’t want to say it in all honesty, as saying it would be finally accepting it; unfortunately, there really was nothing left to do _but_ accept it.  
Rhino was never coming back. 

____

_“Rhino is-!”_

____

Croc was suddenly cut off by… well, he wasn’t sure what _was_ happening at first.  
When he _did_ realize, he became both calm and all the more sadder at the same time.

____

Ox was hugging him. 

____

Despite the other man being much larger than him, the tight embrace didn’t feel suffocating at all; it made him feel secure.  
Croc let out a shaky sigh as he felt the other hold him closer.

____

“I know,” Ox said softly “I miss him too...”

____

Croc lowered his eyes as he wrapped his arms around Ox as well.  
It occurred to the both of them that this was the first time they were truly _mourning_ over their friend. From the point of losing Rhino, facing the threat of the weapon destroying their city if they fought back, being tossed in prison, and everything in between up until this moment; they never let the loss of Rhino fully set in.  
Perhaps the both of them knew not to show weakness to Shen’s men, _especially_ not to Shen himself.  
But, neither of them were here now; all had gone to help start Lord Shen’s complete and total conquest of China.  
So, truly, what better time was there to mourn then now.

____

“Did you get this idea from Tigress?” Croc smiled as he raised a brow 

____

“I dunno,” Ox huffed “but the hugging thing seemed to work with her so… _You know._ ”

____

Crock chuckled

____

“Of course my friend.”

____


End file.
